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Canadian GreenTech – GreenPower gets order for electric buses in California
BY: CANADIAN GREENTECH DATE: DECEMBER 8, 2016
The City of Porterville CA has secured $9.5 million in funding from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to deploy electric buses from GreenPower Motor Company Inc. The funding allows the city to roll out 10 GreenPower EV350 40-foot zero-emission all-electric transit buses on all nine Porterville Transit routes, and to install the charging infrastructure including 11 charging stations.
“We are excited to be working with the City of Porterville on a system-wide deployment of our all-electric transit buses and charging infrastructure,” said Fraser Atkinson, chair of the board at GreenPower. “The Porterville project will serve as a model for other operators in the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and across North America who are seeking to deploy not just a zero-emission vehicle, but a zero-emission solution.”
CARB’s award to the City of Porterville was one of only nine awards from the highly competitive Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Pilot Program. The grant award is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while providing clean-air benefits to California neighborhoods, with an emphasis on disadvantaged communities. California Climate Investments programs are funded by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund using proceeds from the state’s cap-and-trade auctions.
Projects like the one in Porterville are intended to help accelerate technology commercialization by placing significant numbers of zero-emission and near zero-emission trucks and buses in clusters as well as installing the infrastructure necessary to support the project vehicles. In addition, Porterville Transit will operate all of the new buses on routes in disadvantaged communities — those most affected by air pollution — providing zero-emission transportation to many citizens who are dependent on public transportation for their daily needs.
“We look forward to working with GreenPower in replacing our aging active-fleet to 100% electric buses that produce zero emissions,” said Richard Tree, transit manager at Porterville Transit. “Substantial grants like this one are driving the entire industry forward, and making all-electric the new norm in public transportation, while playing a significant role in accomplishing our mission to improve the environment in our community and the Valley.”
Disclaimer: GreenPower does not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article.
